Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 1917 amends provisions of the Human Resources Code relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and juvenile boards.

            The act clarifies and expands the purposes of the commission, including establishing standards for the community-based juvenile justice system and promotion of delinquency prevention and intervention programs for juveniles. It requires the commission to adopt rules for implementation of progressive sanctions guidelines and, in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency, minimum standards for juvenile justice alternative education programs.

            House Bill 1917 changes the funding level that a juvenile board must maintain to receive the full amount of state aid funds. The act makes discretionary the previous requirement that the commission refuse, reduce, or suspend state financial aid to a juvenile board that fails to comply with commission standards. The act also authorizes a juvenile board to contract with another governmental unit or a private vendor for juvenile probation services.